St Albans First Team
Match Reports
SAINTS PACK DELIVER CUP WIN OVER FULLERIANS ! Saturday 10th of September 2005
Fullerians 15 St.Albans 18
Saints travelled to Fullerian’s Watford ground for the first time ever in both club’s histories with Saints currently the senior league playing side.For they are in Powergen London North 2 as opposed to Fullerians in London North West 3,from where Saints were promoted last season.
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History as well as home advantage were on Fullerian’s side.Founded in 1925 they are well respected former Herts President’s Cup winners ,whilst Saints,only founded in 1980, had it all to prove away in the Intermediate Cup.
Conditions were good, with bright sunshine, a light northerly wind straight across the pitch,firm going & a touchline temperature of 18C.
Saints kicked off & put the early pressure on F in their 22 who were penalised twice on 1 & 4 minutes for offside in the backs.Saints centre Gareth Lane converted the second one for Saints to lead by 3 points.The game settled down into a midfield stalemate where Saints commanded the front of several lineouts with excellent catch & drive by new young 17 stone second row signing, John Clark.
On 29 minutes ,F having worked the touchline well with good strategic kicking,took their lineout possession down the blindside for a converted try.
F 7 Saints 3
The visitors now woke up & worked the touchline well too until they won a scrum 5 metres from F’s line on 39 minutes.
With power to spare in the pack, Saints tractored forward for County No 8 John Sayers to score an unconverted try in the corner.
Half time score: Fullerians 7 Saints 8
The second half resumed with both sides in far too relaxed a mood before F kicked a good long range penalty on 51 minutes to make it F 10 Saints 8.
Saints were now galvanised into their best period of the game.On 58 minutes they took a rare tap penalty on half way & spun it down the entire backline on the right flank for Kiwi Pete Henderson,carrying an injury for much of the game,to run in a crisp unconverted backs try. F 10 Saints 13.
The impasse in the middle continued until Saints stand-in skipper & No 10 Martin Alderton prodded play yet again down to F’s 5 metre line.There,on 70 minutes Saints were awarded a penalty & opted for a scrum.
Saints pack again rightly backed themselves & drove relentlessly over the line for No 8 John Sayers to score his second try of the game ,unconverted.
F 10 Saints 18
Not to be outdone ,F showed their character, went straight back downfield & were unlucky not to convert a penalty but eventually broke out for their backs to bring them right back in it with an unconverted try in the corner on 73 minutes.
F 15 Saints 18
The game could have gone to extra time but F missed an easy penalty chance on 81 minutes.From the final 22 dropout of the contest Saints toughed it out over several scrums to edge a deserved narrow win in the first round of the Intermediate Cup.
Final Score: Fullerians 15 St.Albans 18
Fullerians never gave up & if their kicking for goal had been better they could possibly have sneaked it.But in the setpieces Saints forwards had the edge which led to 2 powerful textbook tries both by County No 8 John Sayers.Behind the scrum, both pairs of half backs varied play sensibly.To their credit, Fullerian’s wily veteran No 9 linking well with his No 10 contested much of the game territorially but too many loose passes further out wide cost them the crucial winning advantage.Saints had tightened discipline & decision making considerably since last week.So my special tribute goes to Saints No 10 Martin Alderton for his leadership in standing in & shouldering the captain’s responsibility these last 3 games.He now hands over the reins with an away win to Dan Hillier,this season’s elected first team skipper now happily returned from honeymoon.Good luck,Dan,in ALL departments!
Saints Coach Tim Andrews was delighted with the win but said literally everything would be addressed on the training paddock next week as they turn again to the reality of the London North 2 league.
Saints Man of the Match was flanker Dave Callan (picture) who ,after great work in the loose for 50 minutes ,transferred to the right wing following a Saints injury, for the rest of the game.
St.Albans Team.
D.Batchelor,A.Harris,N.Homan,J.Clark,M.Davies,D Callan,
O Cooper-Millar,J.Sayers,P.Gunnell,M.Alderton(captain),
P.Henderson,G.Lane,N.Lister,E.Coy,J.Shaw,M.King,D.Stanford,D.Hillier.
St.Albans Scorers.
Tries. John Sayers (2),Pete Henderson.
Penalty.Gareth Lane.
Referee. Mr Paul Nolan of the Herts Referees Society.
Next week Saints are back to London North 2 league action as they travel to Thurrock.